Dating a Chatwood Invincible help

YALESLEVIATHAN

Hi, this is my first post, so I’ll try to do an intro. My name is Nick, I’ve been a locksport enthusiast and antique lock collector for many years. I’ve been a member on UKLS for a good while and enjoy the practical hands on side of designing and making a variety of 2 in 1 and other manipulation tools for patent and other locks. I’ve restored a few locks using milling and lathe work, as well as learning the art of Silver soldering to repair broken stubs and levers.

I have eventually joined the forum, because I would really appreciate some help with dating a Chatwood Invincible that I have. The lock is stamped Chatwood Bolton and has the number 130460 and a small triangle with a character within it. If a blank can’t be found, one will have to be milled from scratch and then cut to fit the lever pack. I’m guessing it is 20’s or so, but would be great to actually find out for sure.

Any help with getting a date on this would be very much appreciated.

Best regards, Nick.

safeman

Unfortunately No.130460 falls in a period where a number of record books are missing :

126776 - 2th July, 1900,
142862 - 1st.October, 1907.

YALESLEVIATHAN

safeman wrote
Unfortunately No.130460 falls in a period where a number of record books are missing :

126776 - 2th July, 1900,
142862 - 1st.October, 1907.

Many thanks for taking the time to reply. That is accurate enough, because at least it pins it down to a decade. Would I be right in thinking that the records that are still present, actually list the sale and customer name?

All the best, Nick.

[unknown]

safeman

YALESLEVIATHAN wrote
Many thanks for taking the time to reply. That is accurate enough, because at least it pins it down to a decade. Would I be right in thinking that the records that are still present, actually list the sale and customer name?

All the best, Nick.

Afraid not Nick. This number is from the locks records. There are different records for safe serial numbers but they are not accessible in a form which might relate to the actual purchaser.
Could you let us have a look at the safe?

[unknown]

YALESLEVIATHAN

safeman wrote
Afraid not Nick. This number is from the locks records. There are different records for safe serial numbers but they are not accessible in a form which might relate to the actual purchaser.
Could you let us have a look at the safe?

I’m aftraid it is no longer attached. The story with this one is that I operate as a sort of unofficial locksmith at work and in the course of scavenging whatever locks I can to pick in my spare time, I found what I think is Chatwood Simplex in a unused part of our buildings. It is locked and after removing the escutcheon plate to aid identification, I had a look at the double bitted lock through the keyhole. My manager has said that I can have it. Someone on UKLS sent me a picture of a Chatwood Invincible and the ‘keyhole picture’ looked pretty much spot on. I acquired this lock, thinking that it would help to reverse engineer a set of 2 in 1 dimensions for the tips and pin. As you can see, my one is a single bitted version, so I’ll have to wait till one comes along to get everything right.

The Simplex is still sitting there, but I was unsure if it might have asbestos in the lining, so I’ve sort of backed off from the idea of rescuing her. If I get a spare 10 minute next week, I’ll get a picture of it and the keyhole if my camera will focus. Obviously any unopened lock laughs loudly, so would be nice if I could open her up.

cheers for the reply, Nick.

[unknown]

Tom Gordon

If it is a “Duplex” then it is a very distinctive safe because you won’t see any hinges.

kwoswalt99

Awesome lock! Got to love that anti-pressure system!:8):

YALESLEVIATHAN

Tom Gordon wrote
If it is a “Duplex” then it is a very distinctive safe because you won’t see any hinges.

Yeap, sorry, “Duplex”, I’ve been messing around with combination locks, one of which was a simplex.

The one I’ve been given the option of removing is identical to the one in the following listing, apart from the brass knob has a coined/straight knurled edge. I’ve got the escutcheon, but at some time it has lost the ‘Chatwood’ cover.

[unknown]